What We Do

I have always viewed my job as taking care of my patients. Yes, doing dentistry is how I feed my family and pay the bills but that is NOT the same thing as ‘taking care of my patients.' In the big picture, my job is to make my patients happy whether I am replacing old and worn out fillings, restoring an old looking smile or making sure that my patients can have an appointment with a specialist when they need it.

I completed the smile make over for a patient about 2 months ago and both the patient and I loved the results so much that I decided to use the photo in one of my advertisements in Saratoga Living Magazine. Look at the photo in my ad and you will see someone who is content with her appearance and confident in her place in the world.

This is what we do. This is what I ALWAYS wanted to do with my life… To take care of my patients and make them happy.

Do all of your other doctors feel the same way that I do? And if not, why don’t they want to take care of you and make you happy?

Not Again!

Last week another disappointed 'cosmetic' patient presented to our office for a consultation. This patient spent her hard earned money (as a teacher) for improving her smile but is now terribly disappointed in the results...AND SHE IS CORRECT TO BE DISSATISFIED!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I have said many times before, 'cosmetic dentistry' has little to do with bonding porcelain or resin to teeth. It IS however, the totality of excellence in periodontics, endodontics,orthodontics, implantology, laboratory creativity, occlusion and restorative dentistry. That is: When every aspect of the patient's treatment has an excellent outcome, then and only then is the treatment deemed to be truly 'COSMETIC DENTISTRY.'
The overwhelming majority of 'cosmetic dentistry' that we see is mediocre to lousy. Why is this? And how can this be?
1. The planning is wrong
2. The execution is average
3. The principles of fine restorative dentistry have not been followed ...if the dentist even knew the principles.

Patients MUST select their 'cosmetic dentists' more carefully. They must visit several dentists and their websites and DEMAND to see at least 20 cases that the dentist has completed. In the year 2010, any dentist doing significant amounts of 'cosmetic dentistry' should have 1200-1500 hours of continuing education (excluding vacation/study junkets, wink wink)

I am sad and disappointed when I see patients spending their money and not getting any value, satisfaction or happiness from their investment.

The slogan, "Buyer Beware" has never been more true.

Father's Day

My Father passed away in 2002 at the age of 86.

He was an excellent husband and a wonderful Father. Money was not the most important thing and, in fact, my family lived like so many other families, pay check to pay check. We didn't go out to eat and there were no luxeries whatsoever in our very modest home. The mortgage was $69 a month.

My Father always believed that the road to a good life passed through a University door and that education not only earned you more income but made you a better person.
To him ethics, honesty, integrity and hard work were the essential qualities of a successful human being.

Becoming wealthy never seemed to interest him so that a Rolex and a Timex, or a Ford and a BMW were all the same to him.

The quality of the man was his education, doing the right thing and pursuing excellence so that he could have the RESPECT of others.

I think that my Father would be very happy with the man that I have become. I certainly am very proud of him for making me the man that I am.

And isn't that what Father's Day is all about?

What I See

I belong to the ACE dental forum which is a group of better than average dentists. What I see is that there is very little will to pursue excellence in the field of clinical dentistry but a significant move towards increasing the kind of treatment that they offer. For instance, the dentists don't want to get better at what they know but they want to learn about new treatments so that they can make more money providing such services as sleep therapy, 6 Month Smiles or Botox.

Why not learn how to become EXCELLENT at what you know before learning how to provide more services for their patients? The answer is simple: insurance companies and patients expect and are willing to pay for mediocrity. Patients have become reluctant to pay for excellence and as many people have recently pointed out...It is becoming harder and harder to find quality.

Most things are self fulfilling prophecies. If people don't want or won't pay for excellence then physicians, lawyers and dentists will no longer make the effort to become excellent.

And sooner or later, folks will wonder, "What ever happened to excellence?"

Note From a Colleague

I am not well liked by some segments of the local dental community. It doesn't matter that they have never met me, attended my lectures or seen my work. Many dentists don't like it when another dentist becomes nationally recognized for his or her quality dentistry. Even most dentists believe that "ALL DENTISTS ARE THE SAME."

On the other hand, many of the dentists that do know me and have seen my work, frequently express their congratulations on my accomplishments. Many of the Capital District's dental specialists get so see all dentist's work and they often compliment me for my fine dentistry or attend my lectures.

I was recently promoted to Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY/Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and when one of the specialists learned of my promotion, he emailed me a short note:

"Every community has its pillars. In our dental community (especially clinical and teaching) you are certainly one of them?"

What an honor to receive such a note.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Anyone who is above the age of 50 should remember the Art Linkletter Show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things." Art would ask the kids about any subject and then would let the children just say what was on their minds.

Yesterday we treated a 12 year old boy that I referred to my good friend Dr. Banchs for a root canal. The young boy had seen a different endodontist but the dentist could not treat the boy. The boy's step father had been a patient for many years and asked me if I would mind looking at his son's tooth. I examined the boy and knew Dr. Banchs and I could easily manage his treatment once we earned his trust....And sure enough Dr. Banchs and I successfully completed the youngster's treatment.

As the young boy was leaving my office yesterday, he grabbed a few of my business cards and said to his mother, "Now I can tell people where the best dentist is."

I am honored to have earned the trust of my young patient. Most importantly, the youngster learned a valuable lesson that the majority of adults have yet to understand.... The lesson is: All dentists are not the same and some are good, some lousy and most just plain mediocre.

No one had to tell the boy that some dentists are better than others...Even a 12 year old can see it.

'Stranger In My Own Hometown"

I just heard George Boone Blues Band on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. This weekend is SaratogaArtFest and bands played all day opposite Borders Books.
George Boone is a world class Blues Guitarist who grew up in the Albany/Schenectady area. "Stranger In My Own Hometown was the first CD that George Boone ever recorded despite the fact that he is recognized around the world as being one of the best at what he does.

The Capital District of New York has some extremely talented citizens who have attained national and international fame but remain completely unknown in the geographic area where they live.
My good friend Francisco Banchs is recognized throughout the world in the field of Root Canal Therapy and yet he is a complete unknown even to most dentists in the Capital District..How can this be?

In 1999, I won the most prestigious clinical contest in dentistry, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Smile Contest. The dentist from rural Cropseyville, NY beat dentists from New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle and yet it took the local paper, the Troy Record SIX MONTHS to print a story about me. And the overwhelming majority of dentists in the Capital District never heard of me or the contest.

George Boone was correct to call his debut CD, "Stranger In My Own Hometown." I certainly know how he feels. Perhaps this says something about our community that excellence is not important...I will have to ponder this.

Somthing Is Wrong

Women will frequently be on a mission to find a fabulous hair dresser and questions such as, “Who does your hair?” or “Who is the BEST hair dresser?” can be heard wherever women gather .

When I was a young child, I had two illnesses that mystified our local physicians (yes I know, this is in prehistoric times) and my parents began their search for doctors who had the reputation of being the best in their field. In the old days EVERYONE asked ,” Who is the best doctor or dentist.” for fear of being treated by a quack.

Folks today NEVER ask who the best physician or dentist is but rather are they covered by my insurance. Is something wrong when people are more concerned about finding a great hair dresser but are not interested in finding out who the best doctor is?

I do believe there is.

A Difference

I mentor a number of young dentists in the Capital District and most are female. I can already see a difference in how men learn about dentistry compared to how woman manage the learning experience.

Men: I saw it, I know it, I can do it and I am now among the best in the world at it.

Women: Please show me; Can you explain why...; and what if this happens; my head is spinning because you have taught me so much.

I identify more with the woman because I learn the same way that they do. I take nothing for granted; there is a lot more to this than I am seeing now; I want and need to learn this and someday I want to be among the best in the world at it

Dentistry, like many things, is above all...a craft. All crafts take years if not decades to master and, in fact, very, very few dentists rise to the level of craftsman or master craftsman. This is probably why the smartest student or the student with the best 'hands' in dental school rarely rise to the top of the clinically best dentists. The passion and dedication required to master a craft is daunting and very few dentists are willing to devote, the time, money or 'stomach lining' that is necessary to be the best.

I think that females have a better understanding (or perhaps less testosterone) of what it takes to pursue excellence. Men's attitudes are show it to me and let me move on where women want me to show it, explain it and show it to them again....And that is what is takes to be a master.

Can I See You for Free?

I am thrilled when folks visit my website to see the great work that we do and I sincerely appreciate it when they take the next step and call or email for an appointment. What surprises me is when people email and ask to see me for free. Will Lexus give you or me a car for free? Will your lawyer or plumber work for free? How about the folks who work for the State of NY? No one works for free.

What would be the value of the advice that I would give to the patient if it was free? And how much time would I invest in that consultation for free? If the consulation was free why wouldn't everyone want to see me for advice?
There are very few things that haven't changed in the last 50 years but the old saying, "You get what you pay for." still applies.